Before attending the University of Western States, Dr. Christopher John graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut with an engineering degree and served as a commissioned officer in Hawaii and New Orleans. While serving as an officer, Dr. John worked toward an MBA at Tulane University and University of Hawaii, and worked on the side as a Transcendental Meditation teacher.
When Dr. John began suffering from headaches and upper back pain, a friend suggested that he receive treatment from a chiropractor. It wasn’t until after leaving the chiropractors office that a career change crossed his mind.
“My experience from that [visit] made me feel that there was great potential for chiropractic adjustments,” Dr. John said. “I felt quality of life changes that went beyond just pain relief.”
Choosing to enroll at the University of Western States was an easy decision, he said. The environment of Oregon appealed to John, as did the student body’s involvement and energy.
“There have been two or three times in my life when I had a very powerful and positive experience having to do with being at the right place at the right time,” he said. “And arriving at the UWS campus was one of them.”
Despite the intense academic preparation, an education from UWS was just what Dr. John needed to succeed. Practice and living opportunities lined up in the Los Angeles area and after graduating in 1982, Dr. John’s career took off. In 2011, Dr. John was the recipient of the LA Times Reader’s Choice Award for Best Los Angeles Chiropractor.
So what’s the key to Dr. John’s success? “Experience and fall in love with what you are going to be doing so that your drive comes from deep conviction,” he said.